From Spring Awakening, currently running at Broadway's Eugene O'Neill Theatre

Photo by Joan Marcus

Broadway success is remarkably evasive.
But not for Hal Thau (’56). Currently he’s one of
the producers of a new hit
Broadway musical: Spring
Awakening. The rock musical, based
on the long-banned
German play by Frank
Wedekind written in 1891,
tells the story of teenage self-discovery, of
passions, emotions, and regrets. The main
characters are beautiful Wendla, brilliant and fearless young Melchior, and traumatized
Moritz, all of whom struggle against a
repressive adult world, only to stumble into
some of that world’s toughest challenges.

Thau, a financial consultant, business
manager, theatrical producer, and philanthropist,
is an accountant by training. He
rubbed elbows with such entertainment
greats as Duke Ellington and Jackie Mason
as a partner in the accounting firm of
Rosenblum, Rubin, Burn & Thau. He was
John Denver’s partner and manager for
over 35 years. When Thau caught the
showbiz bug in the ’80s, he decided his
talents were best suited to producing. His
credits include Almost Heaven: Songs of
John Denver, Bombay Dreams, Tuesdays
with Morrie, Glengarry Glen Ross, True
West, and The Flying Brothers Karamazov. He is president and CEO of Advent
Management Corp., a worldwide entertainment
management business; president and CEO of Redstone Accounting Services
Inc.; president of Windsong and WindstarRecords; and partner in Cherry Mountain
Music and Windstar Productions. He has written an autobiography, Bronx to
Broadway: A Life in Show Business (2002). In 2006 he was awarded a Baruch College
Alumnus of Distinction Award.